Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-04
Suspended I'm Mid.Air.

NEwsBOYs PERILoUs RIDE ON BIG BALLOON.
The recent trip Of our scientific party in q bal
loon. says the San Francisco Examiner recalls to
memory the thrilling adventure Of San Fran
cisco newsboy who took an involuntary excursion
| In balloon from Oakland to Suisun Plains. It
was an exceptionally pleasant sunday afternoon
In August and Mr.. Kelly was to act as the aero
naut Numerous small balloons had as usual
indicate the probable direction that the balloon
would take upon being set free.
the balloon itself was fine large one. con:
structed OF silk, with the usual basket attached
for carrying passengers. Either Kelly was tncom-
petent, the volume OF gas insufficient, or for some
other and to the crowd an unknown cause the bal
loon did not ascend when Kelly seated himself in
the suspended car and gave the signal to cut the
rope that fastened the balloon to the earth: In;
for some 30 yards when it was again secured and
Kelly jumped to the ground
ilSnLer man then took his place, but 1t would
not rise with him either. The car was then de-
tached from the balloon and pieceof broad scant-
ling attached to it some four inches in width, re-
sembling trapeze bar. The people in the mean
time were jeer1ng the professor in O good-natured
way, and several asked him to give them ride,
presuming that they would be taken few yards
only.
Among them was bright lad Of sixteen, though
looking much younger. He was q newsbOy and
orange peddler, Well known in San Francisco Tor
his quick wit, brilliant shock Of intensely red hair
and prediSpOsiUion for mischief He was q thin,
WHY little Fellow, and known by his comrades as
Either OF his own motion or at the careless sug-
gestlon OF some thoughtless person., Reddy
handed his basket OF oranges to his partner. Some
one sang out, LET her CO." and up she went, TO
the Of everybody that knew it was
the air and his weight depressed the hoop to
which the bar was attached, throwing his back
only One-quarter OF an inch In circumference.
AS the boy arose Professor Kelly cried out to
Hp pu the e valve rope when he wished to come me
balloon netting and was not to be reached. He
assembled rapidly for some 40 feet, when a current
OF air turned the balloon in sOutneasterly direc-
tion, and, clinging to the ropes, he was carried
across an arm OF the bay to the south OF Oakland.
ne then rose to an immense height.
Prof.. Kelly mounted a fleet horse and endeavOred
TO follow the course OF the balloon In vain. 1t was
seen through glass to be drifting over Che crest
OF mountain, but whether the boy still main
ta1ned his grip On the ropes not was uncertain.
The course OF the voyage was now turned in
nOrthea Sterly direction. In half hour from the
start the balloon was lost to view and there were
no hopes OF the boys safety. Death stared him in
the face. II he Was not dashed to earth he would
go up until he reached great height, when the
rarefact1On OF the air would destroy him. Another
danger awaited him. He was th1nly clad and
would soon become benumbed and frozen, relax
his hold and fall TO the earth.
Reddy said, in relating his experience, that he
''WaS dizzy at first and smut his eyes, but thought
Cnat ne must brace up as he was in Tor 1t, and do
the best he could" He saw a panorama Of the
city. He heard people shouting orders from below,
but could not distinguish their commands. He
was conscious of his position by the changing Of
He claimed never to have lost his presence Of
mind. He pulled he thinks, at the valve rope, but
II broke in his hand and the end drifted from him
He looked down and saw rough country below
and thought he would not care TO land there for
rear OF grizzlies and the additional dread OF getting
into some deep canyon that he would be unable TO
find his way out of.
IL was getting along toward dark and more
level country. The boy tried, but failed to reach
the valve rope again, and almost gave up, when
an inspiration seized MIN.
He thought OF his knife. Standing up on the
Scantling, his limbs already stiffened by the cold
and the contracted position that they had been in
so long, he reached Tor his pOcket-kn1fe and OPEN
ing II, put 1t in his teeth and climbed up the
swinging quarterback rope until he reached the
balloon II would not do TO make a large pune
ture. SO he cut small hole and crawIed back to
his perch.
The balloon, relieved Of its gas, slowly sank to
the ground, and, when within a few feet, the boy
swung OF from his periOuS seat and landed unin-
Jured, except IOr slightly sprained ankle. AS he
leaped, the balloon, missing his weight, went up
To me clouds again and disappeared almost In
Stantly.